College of San Mateo
About
College of San Mateo (CSM) is a public community college in San Mateo, California. It is part of the San Mateo County Community College District. College of San Mateo is located at the northern corridor of Silicon Valley and situated on a 153-acre site in the San Mateo hills. The college currently serves approximately 15,000 day, evening and weekend students. The college offers 69 A.A./A.S. degree majors and 81 certificate programs.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Pell recipients here graduate at a 4.3-point higher rate than non-Pell students, unusual and worth a closer look.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 129 Title IV programs, 6 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 123 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing6 · 4.7%
- No Data123 · 95.3%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Programmatic accreditations · 2
Action history · 9
- Aug 2025Initial AccreditationAccreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (ADNUR) - Associate degree programs
- Jun 2021Renewal of AccreditationAccrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
- Apr 2021Grant Substantive Change: ProgramAmerican Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation · Dental Assisting (DA)
- Feb 2021Accreditation Reaffirmed: Warning RemovedAmerican Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation · Dental Assisting (DA)
- Aug 2020Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: WarningAmerican Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation · Dental Assisting (DA)
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 1,275 students received $7.0M in Pell grants, alongside $313K in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 51 borrowers who entered repayment, 2 (3.9%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at College of San Mateo
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 10
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus1
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
College of San Mateo vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions College of San Mateo selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectCollege of San Mateo | 61% | Open admission | 9,901 | $536 | Community College |
| — | Open admission | 8,964 | $8,983 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 6,232 | $6,389 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 3,914 | $10,810 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 4,904 | $10,528 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 5,053 | $4,714 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 4,332 | $12,266 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 6,121 | $7,397 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 5,062 | $9,204 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 6,538 | $9,490 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 6,131 | $8,895 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 8,905 | $6,618 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 6,606 | $10,065 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 10,109 | $12,254 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 9,336 | $12,414 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 8,544 | $5,541 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 6,334 | $2,979 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 4,358 | $7,606 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 9,463 | $13,250 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 9,374 | $2,624 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 6,909 | $5,080 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 7,173 | $11,373 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 11,920 | $6,483 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 4,585 | $10,575 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 9,355 | $5,029 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 8,412 | $7,196 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 8,537 | $8,562 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 6,620 | $5,344 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 4,871 | $9,132 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 5,327 | $8,940 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 7,655 | $3,423 | Community College | |
| Peer group median | 61% | — | 6,620 | $8,562 |
Institutions like College of San Mateo
Explore the federal data for institutions in College of San Mateo's comparison group.
- Community CollegeArizona
Arizona Western College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment8,964Net price$8,983View data - Community CollegePennsylvania
Bucks County Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment6,232Net price$6,389View data - Community CollegeNorth Carolina
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment3,914Net price$10,810View data - Community CollegeNorth Carolina
Catawba Valley Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment4,904Net price$10,528View data - Community CollegeArizona
Central Arizona College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment5,053Net price$4,714View data - Community CollegeOregon
Central Oregon Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment4,332Net price$12,266View data - Community CollegeIllinois
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment6,121Net price$7,397View data - Community CollegeMaryland
College of Southern Maryland
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment5,062Net price$9,204View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Contra Costa College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment6,538Net price$9,490View data - Community CollegeNew Jersey
County College of Morris
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment6,131Net price$8,895View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Cuyamaca College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment8,905Net price$6,618View data - Community CollegeNew York
Dutchess Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment6,606Net price$10,065View data - Community CollegeArizona
Estrella Mountain Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment10,109Net price$12,254View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Evergreen Valley College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment9,336Net price$12,414View data - Community CollegeVirginia
Germanna Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment8,544Net price$5,541View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment6,334Net price$2,979View data - Community CollegeOhio
Lakeland Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment4,358Net price$7,606View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Los Angeles Harbor College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment9,463Net price$13,250View data - Community CollegeMassachusetts
Middlesex Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment9,374Net price$2,624View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Mission College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment6,909Net price$5,080View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Monterey Peninsula College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment7,173Net price$11,373View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Moreno Valley College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment11,920Net price$6,483View data - Community CollegeIdaho
North Idaho College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment4,585Net price$10,575View data - Community CollegeTexas
Northeast Lakeview College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment9,355Net price$5,029View data - Community CollegeArkansas
NorthWest Arkansas Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment8,412Net price$7,196View data - Community CollegeNew York
Onondaga Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment8,537Net price$8,562View data - Community CollegeNew Jersey
Rowan College at Burlington County
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment6,620Net price$5,344View data - Community CollegeWashington
South Puget Sound Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment4,871Net price$9,132View data - Community CollegeNew York
SUNY Broome Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment5,327Net price$8,940View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
West Valley College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment7,655Net price$3,423View data
College of San Mateo Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
PRIE’s mission is to use the tools of research to support the college’s institutional decision-making and planning.
Visit IR office page- Monique NakagawaSenior Planning and Research Analyst
- Natalie AlizagaResearch Inquiry and Institutional Effectiveness Manager
- Heeju JangPlanning and Research Analyst
- Bryan SwartoutPlanning and Research Analyst
- Edgardo Molina CarlosAdministrative Assistant
Reports & documents (2)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
Notable alumni of College of San Mateo (5)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Dana CarveyEntertainment
- Luana DeVolMusic
- Jerry HillPolitics
- Jon MillerBroadcasting
- Kurtwood SmithEntertainment
Frequently asked questions about College of San Mateo
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about College of San Mateo.
What is the acceptance rate at College of San Mateo?
What is the graduation rate at College of San Mateo?
How many students attend College of San Mateo?
What is the average net price at College of San Mateo?
Where is College of San Mateo located?
Who runs Institutional Research at College of San Mateo?
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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